Low-emission zone in Herne
On 1 October 2008, the German city of Herne introduced a low-emission zone where only motorized vehicles with an emissions sticker are allowed to drive. As of 1 January 2012, this zone is part of the much larger low-emission zone of the Ruhr area. On this page you can read all you need to know. For a complete list of all German low-emission zones, please look here. You can find more information about the emissions sticker itself on the homepage of this website.
Order the official German emissions sticker, now for only €13,95 including VAT and delivery costs.
Map of the low-emission zone in Herne
The part of the low-emission zone of the Ruhr area that covers Herne and its surroundings is shown on the map above with orange. As you can see, Herne lies in the middle of this zone, which makes it difficult to reach the city if your vehicle does not have an emissions sticker. The easiest option would be to park north of the train station in Castrop-Rauxel and then take a train to the city center of Herne. Other cities close to Herne that also lie within the zone are Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Recklinghausen. For a map of the entire low-emission zone, please look at our page about the Ruhr area.
Exceptions
As everywhere else in Germany, an emissions sticker is not required on the highways that go through the low-emission zone of the Ruhr area. In Herne, these are the A42 north and the A43 east of the city center. If you enter and leave the low-emission zone on either of these highways, an emissions sticker is not necessary. Do you leave the highway within the low-emission zone, then a sticker will be required.
Which emissions sticker do you need in Herne?
The green emissions sticker is required in Herne, just as in the entire Ruhr area. Most diesels from 2006 and later and most vehicles with a petrol engine from 1993 and later are eligible for this green sticker.
Availability of the emissions sticker
To buy the German emissions sticker, you can stop buy at vehicle inspection companies such as DEKRA and TÜV, but most larger car dealerships can also help you out. Gas stations on the highway however, do not sell the emissions sticker. Also make sure you have your vehicle registration certificate with you and that you purchase the emissions sticker before you reach the low-emission zone of the Ruhr area.
An easier way to get an emissions sticker is to order it online, for which you can use the order form on our website. If your vehicle is eligible, the sticker will be sent out to your home address within one working day. Depending on your country of residence, it usually arrives one to several days after that. Please see this FAQ for more information about the order process.
What is there to see and do in Herne?
Photo of Herne by Arnoldius (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Just as many other places in the Ruhr area, Herne once was a village that turned into a larger city during the industrialization of the 19th century. This means that even though Herne is home to more than 150.000 inhabitants, you will not find many historical buildings here. There are, however, several museums that are worth visiting. First, there is the Emschertal-Museum where you can learn a lot about the history and industrialization of the area. The Opel-Museum Herne is where you can find old cars, bicycles, sewing machines and even fridges by Opel.
Order the official German emissions sticker, now for only €13,95 including VAT and delivery costs.